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Lincoln Centerâ€™s Caribbean Festival

The Mighty Sparrow has proved himself as the Quintessential Calypsonian, par excellence, with over 70 albums to his credit. His is richly endowed with many gifts and talents. Not only does he possess an amazing ability to put into works and tempo the exploits of society, but to crown it all with showmanship and appeal.

(The Mighty Sparrow, right, does his thing).

The Caribbean Cultural Center/African Diaspora Institute is hosting their â€œCarnival in New Yorkâ€? festival on Sunday, August 13th, 2006 at prestigious Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.

Carnival in New York is part of the Lincoln Centerâ€™s Out of Doors Festival Summer Series and this year will be its 11th â€˜Carnivalâ€™ with Lincoln Center. The festival is one of the Lincoln Centerâ€™s most popular events with attendance normally reaching over 10,000 people. This is a free event for the public that aims to reflect the cultural traditions of Carnival throughout the African Diaspora.

For more information: www.cccadi.org. â€˜Carnival in New Yorkâ€™ will be a day-long out of door festival with artist workshops, food, crafts, vendors and musical and dance performances starting at 3:00pm to 6:30pm at the North & South Plazaâ€™s and the Fountain Stage. The festival will conclude with a performance by Soca Sensation Rupee and the The Mighty Sparrow at 7:00pm with a special tribute performance dedicated to Cultural Icon Cheryl Bryon by the Something Positive Dance Troupe at Lincoln Centerâ€™s Damrosch Park. Day Performances start at 3:00pm â€“ 6:30pm at the North & South Plazas.

The Franklin H. Williams Caribbean Cultural Center/African Diaspora Institute, commonly known as the Caribbean Cultural Center, was conceived in 1976 by Dr. Marta Moreno Vega with the vision to create an international organization promoting and linking communities of African descendants wherever our communities are alive.

Currently, the Center is celebrating its 30th Anniversary year 2006 â€œMaking the invisible Visible: Connecting Global Culturesâ€? which includes a year of extraordinary programs that reflect and improve on its past successes. For complete information on the Center, its year-long 30th Anniversary or â€˜Carnival in New Yorkâ€™ at Lincoln Center call 212.307.7420 ext 3006 or go online to www. cccadi.org.Â

By Subway: The closest station is 59th Street â€“ Columbus Circle. You can use the 1, A, B, C & D all stop at this station. By Car: The Westside Highway to the 57th Street exit. Continue on 57th Street & 10th Avenue & Amsterdam Avenue.

A true Pan-Caribbean woman, an Africanist, feminist, educator, performer, pioneer and activist Ms. Byron was a woman of many firsts. The first to perform her brand of poetry in a Calypso tent to the sound of drums; the Mother of Rapso she was composing and performing Rap (Dub) poetry before it was christened Rapso she called them â€œpoem songs.â€?

She not only believed in the validity of the cultural and artistic expressions that came out of Trinidad and the Caribbean, but she advocated on its behalf.Â As an educator she taught at all levels from Pre-K to the University to senior citizens infusing her lessons with humor and real life examples that endeared her to all that were in her range of influence.

Perhaps her most significant contribution was the founding of Something Positive, Inc.- www.angelfire.com/art/SomethingPostive.com a performing arts and education company dedicated to the art and culture of the African Diaspora and its cross â€“cultural influences through art and education. Something Positive has a repertoire of original works, most of which were written and composed by Ms. Byron, and a growing repertoire of new work influenced by Ms. Byron and the mission of the institution.

The Mighty Sparrow has proved himself as the Quintessential Calypsonian, par excellence, with over 70 albums to his credit. His is richly endowed with many gifts and talents. Not only does he possess an amazing ability to put into works and tempo the exploits of society, but to crown it all with showmanship and appeal. His grand contribution to the art form and our lives has unraveled the mysteries of Caribbean life throughout the world, leaving the professionally trained sociologist and economist befuddled.Â

A combined effort of his natural born talent, hard work and awesome work ethic, has afforded and enabled Sparrow the ability to ascend to the leader as Calypso King of the World. He has brought honor, glory and dignity to an indigenous art form that had once been viewed and scorned upon by the very elite of Caribbean society. You will certainly be entertained by this master as he edifies, enlightens and educates us all. Lastly, The King is currently challenging his competitors in the World Monarch and Road March Competitions for a cataclysmic encounter with his competitors. www.mightysparrow.com.

About Rupee â€“ A natural innovator, with his charismatic and inspiring performances throughout North America and Europe.Â Rupee, born Rupert Clarke, is of multi-ethnic heritage.Â His father being Barbadian and mother German gave Rupee his first taste of music at home, listening to Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, and the Beatles, along with Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff, and The Mighty Sparrow.Â

This mixture has given Rupee his worldwide success. His hits â€œJumpâ€? and â€œTempted to Touchâ€? has given him repeated Road March titles at carnivals in Barbados, New York, Miami, Boston, and Toronto.Â www.thisisrupee.com.

For more information call 212 307.7420 ext 3006 or contact by email mwilliams@cccadi.org. Official event sponsors are NY CARIB NEWS, NY DAILY NEWS, ESSENCE, ALOE FEROX, WNYC & ROTI PLUS. The program is also made possible through the generous donation and support of Douglas X. Patino, New York State Council on the Arts, New York City Dept. of Cultural Affairs, New York City Dept. of Youth and Community Development, New York State Black and Puerto Rican/Hispanic Caucus, The Hearst Foundation, The Emma Shaefer Charitable Trust, C.S. Mott Foundation, Marguerite Casey Foundation, PepsiCo, Community Wellness Foundation and Bloomberg.

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